TLA plus 1 Satty
by Bouncefox
Summary: Saturos somehow managed to survive the perilous fall from the Venus Lighthouse aerie. After discovering Felix in a nearby town, the Proxian decides to join the Venus adept and co., as if nothing had happened.


**This is a joint fic between me, and an authorness named Hadokken. Worked on this for months…thought it was about time to publish it. XD**

**You're typing up the next chapter, Hado. DX**

**Disclaimer goes here! **

* * *

"Sir...? Sir, please wake up."

The voice did not receive a response. The owner of the voice bent down, prodding the incapacitated man. He spoke again, raising his voice.

"Sir...please!"

After a moment of silence, the middle-aged healer crossed his arms over his chest and glanced down at the unconscious figure near his feet. Titling his head to the side, he wondered what he had done wrong.

"Has he not yet awoken?" asked a new voice that belonged to an aged man. He placed a single hand on the healer's shoulder. The healer jumped, not expecting the sudden intrusion. "G-great Elder!" stammered the healer, taking a step back. "I did not expect you!"

His face fell, and in shame he whispered, "I cannot wake him."

The old man shook his head and smiled. "Nonsense," he murmured. "Let me give it a go." The younger healer nodded and swiftly stepped aside, bowing his head in respect. The Great Healer then crouched down and spread his fingers out. His eyes narrowed in concentration, gathering energy for his technique.

After a moment, he halted the energy flow, signifying that his work was complete. The two then stood in silence, glancing at the man beside their feet.

A soft, sudden groan grabbed the two healers' attention. They immediately turned their heads towards the noise, smiling.

Slowly, with Herculean effort, Saturos managed to blink slowly. Mercilessly bright light greeted him instantly, forcing him to snap his eyes shut again.

"Ah..." he said, wondering if he could form words. He then shook his head, attempting to clear his head. Eventually adjusting to the light, the Proxian managed to scan his surroundings; feeling an odd sense of familiarity. He was in a room that resembled the caves back at Prox, various puddles dotting the floor. An odd robed figure stared him down in statue form.

Disoriented, his pupils dilated as realization struck. "This...this is not the Venus..." his exclamation cut short as he noticed the quizzical stares he was receiving. The Proxian turned away, falling into a sudden, silence.

The two healers exchanged bewildered glances before facing the now awakened Saturos. They stepped back inventarily, the man's red eyes exuded an unnerving menace. The middle-aged healer swallowed before speaking again. "What is your name, sir...?"

Saturos focused his red eyes on the man with a disturbed leer.

"Saturos."

The healer nodded before continuing. "You, er, just appeared here...Saturos. Do you remember how? Usually, our visitors are dragged in by beaten up Venus adepts."

The Proxian pondered this for a moment, not remembering much after his perilous fall. Yet, there was one thought that did not leave him...the battle between Isaac his friends. What had happened afterward...?

The fall...

_[_**Labeling a flashback in the middle of the as deemed necessary**_]_

_Slowly, Saturos could feel himself fall. The air rusted around him, his head swam, and his vision reeled. He reached out, attempting to grab something, anything. Saturos frowned as his hand swiped at pure air before plunging into the Venus Lighthouse. The air of the Venus Lighthouse was flooded with a painful deluge of bright yellow light. _

_The light tore at the Proxian's eyes painfully, but in the overwhelming halo, he could see Menardi, a field of energy, albeit a weake one, pulling around her. _

_She held out her hands. From the pose, Saturos could tell she was concentrating. She had Psynergy left? The whispering feeling of a familiar psynergy enveloped itself around the blue Proxian; and within mere seconds, he was gone. _

_She had used Teleport. _

[**Removing obnoxious flashback label here**]

Saturos blinked as he slowly put together the pieces of his unexpected survival. "Menardi...Menardi did this..." he whispered to himself. He silently thanked his companion.

An arm wrapped around the Proxian, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Can you stand?" the middle-aged healer questioned, concern etched across his face.

Saturos turned towards the man. "Barely". The healer nodded and adjusted his grip on the injured Proxian before heaving him off of the floor.

* * *

The fist impression of the dingy, sodden town of Dalia gave Felix was disarray. Not chaos, like the reaction of the Laliverans when he and the others entered the small town with their "goddess" Sheba captive, but something more like suffocating stiffness after a long, warm rainstorm in Vale.

It was a short trek from Idejima to the small Indran town, but they still managed to get jumped by some undead skeletons, and Jenna managed to get her staff cursed.

With the girls in tow, Felix forced open the briny doors of the Sanctum. As they swung open, damply creaking, Sheba let out a muffled gasp. A familiar voice called out his greeting.

"Hello, Felix."

The voice was unsteady, yet the young Venus adept could hear the power hidden behind the dark, shaky speech.

Beside him, Jenna took in a sharp breath. Felix followed the girls' gazes, and what was before him barely registered to his brain. He blinked and heard his voice utter one word. One name.

"Saturos."

Jenna's eyes flew up in shock. Sheba stared, petrified by fear. Felix glanced at his sister and nodded, confusion reading slightly in his dark eyes. He then turned to Sheba, and put his hand on her shoulder, snapping her back to reality. She shivered, and looked up at Felix with sad, panicked eyes.

"H...how?" the Jupiter adept stammered, taking a step back, wavering. Felix turned to his younger sister, who nodded. It was Venus Lighthouse all over again.

Saturos frowned as Jenna fell into a battle stance. He then cast his gaze on Felix, who glowered daggers back at the Proxian.

"Hold on a moment, Felix" Kraden called out, shattering the tension. The Venus adept turned towards the old man, frowning. Kraden then leaned closer to the Venus adept, cupping his hands over his mouth before speaking.

"Do you think it would be wise to fight Saturos at this point?" the scholar asked, lowering his voice to a whisper. "None of us are in the best fighting condition right now..."

Felix narrowed his eyes. "Well, yes, that is true...but we will fight if we have to," he replied. Kraden stopped him, grabbing the adept's sleeve as he turned to face the back-from-the-dead Proxain.

"Felix!" he said sharper than before. "I understand that you are willing to risk your own life to protect others, but watch your actions! Do not risk these girls' lives too! And Saturos never made any aggressive actions yet...

A low, gravelly chuckle rumbled in front of them. "Heh heh...the old man's right," Saturos said, releasing the healer's support to stagger towards the teenagers. In his slumped, kneeling position, he was as short as Sheba. The girl's gaze darted away from the Mars adept's intimidating red eyes. She clung tightly to Felix's cape, her knuckles turning a deathly pale in comparison to her desert-tanned skin.

"Then what do you want want?" Jenna fiercely cut in. Saturos rested his arm on his knee for support. "I did not expect to meet you here, but..." he grinned. "The quest must still be completed. Looking directly into Felix's eyes, he confidently started "I shall make the journey with you."

Kraden then turned towards Felix. "He is right, Felix. It would be wise to bring Saturos along with us."

"But-" Jenna started, but she stopped. Sheba looked dubious and untrusting at the Proxian, and then glanced at the older girl. "Well..." Jenna started again, as if on cue of Sheba's glance. "We would probably have to join alliances with him anyways, considering the purposes and circumstances..."

Felix was silent, and then turned to the fourteen-year-old behind him. "And you don't mind, do you, Sheba?" The Jupiter adept shifted her gaze from Felix to Saturos. She signed before nodding. "If we have no other option..." she trailed off, eyes wandering to the corner of the Sanctum.

The old researcher then smiled. "Then it is settled!" Saturos smiled too. "Yes. Now, I would like some assistance to getting up. We should should get to the nearest inn and stay for the night." Felix nodded as the Proxian used his shoulder for support. They then made their way towards the waterlogged inn.

* * *

The innkeeper looked about. His guests were mumbling about the lack of meat, believing to be out of earshot. He sighed; they had come at a time of bad tidings. The Dalian seafood was widely renown, and truly a work of art. However, after the great wave that had crashed their shore; it had demolished their fishing vessels, spelling out a lack of fresh fish.

An odd tension filled the air as the door swung open, as if it were kicked. A large, blue man, supported by a dark-haired teenager entered slowly. Following close behind was a young blond girl, an older girl with long, red hair and an old man. The slow procession crawled towards the front desk, where the innkeeper stood, gawking at the adepts.

"Uh...w-welcome to the D-Dalian Inn" the man stammered, eying Saturos nervously. Said Proxian looked up, locking gazes with the innkeeper. Gaining his composure, the innkeeper straightened himself. Trying to ignore Saturos's piercing red eyes, the owner turned towards Kraden. Putting on a fake smile, the man spoke once more. "How may I help you, sir?"

"Yes", Kraden began, "a room for my and my companions" he said, gesturing towards the four adepts behind him.

The inkeeper nodded and held out his hand. "Six coins, please". Kraden turned towards Felix, who simply nodded. The teenage adept then dug into his pocket before pulling out a handful of gold coins. Kraden accepted them before turning back towards the front desk.

The old man then dropped the pocket change into the innkeeper's palm. "There you go, my good man," Kraden chirped. The younger man nodded before pocketing the small coins. He then spun on his heel, making his way towards the corner of the inn. "Right this way, please."

The group of five followed the man into the hallway. Unlocking the door the largest room, Jenna shoved it open with her shoulder and entered the room. The sunlight that would usually stream through the windows was quickly fading away. Jenna lit the oil lamps in the room, which casted a warm glow around the room.

There was a desk with a chair in the room, which bad been divided in two by and old curtain. Across from the desk was a well-worn reclining chair that had been spared from the effects of the tidal wave.

Sheba walked over the to the curtain, pushing it aside. Behind the tattered cloth, it was unbearably humid, the wind stagnant. Kraden had long since climbed into the bed and was already snoring. Saturos dragged himself to the reclining chair to rest, leaving the three wooden floor.

Sheba established herself next to the desk leaning on it for support. Felix and his sister sat down near by, and for a moment, the three of them just sat there and stared at each other in silence.

Finally, Jenna said quietly, "so, here's the first day day on our own..." the three turned slowly to the sleeping Saturos on the other side of the room. "Yeah" said Sheba.

"Hmmm," Felix replied quietly, "I wonder if Saturos will assume lead again once he is healed up." Sheba shrugged and hopelessly turned away.

"I risk saying that I certainly hope not," the Mars adept whispered harshly. Her voice seemed loud in the still room. However, neither sleeper stirred.

"Well, now he does not have the support of Menardi, but we all know his strength," Felix replied. A stroke of memory caught his sister's face and she suddenly looked worried. "If...if we see Isaac and his group, won't he want to kill him...?"

"Well, we're not much to say anything," Felix commented. Jenna looked down. A mysterious glint suddenly appeared in Sheba's eye. "I guess we will just have to avoid them as much as possible," she said. "Yeah, but we have to talk to them eventually..."

Jenna yawned and the three felt fatigue catch up to them. The Mars adept turned the lamps off, extinguishing the flames. They did their best to ignore the warm sticky air that stuck to their skin.

* * *

As dawn broke, the party awoke and conversed of their plans. Saturos had lost his armor and the black orb in the fall, so the unfortunate party needed to find another to drive a ship.

Eying their dilapidated weapons, Jenna exclaimed, "let's get our equipment fixed, this stuff is awful!"

Kraden nodded in agreement, glancing at the various swords and staffs. "I concur. I believe it would be wise to fix your weapons before heading out". With no objections, the group of five made their way towards the blacksmith.

Over the "clink" of the hammer, the group had decided to make their way south, to see if they could locate any important landmarks or villages. With bobbing heads of agreement, the course was set.

"Right" Felix said, examining his repaired sword. "Let's move".

* * *

Review? :3


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